May 31, 2008

Auburn, Ala. - - For the first time in Auburn women's tennis history, three Tigers have been named ITA All-Americans; Fani Chifchieva was selected for singles and Alex Haney and Melissa Koning were selected for doubles.

"I am so proud of these young women and the hard work that they have put in all year," said Auburn head coach Tim Gray. "This is a monumental step for these ladies and for Auburn women's tennis. We hope to continue to build on this success."

Chifchieva advanced to the semifinals of the NCAA Individual Championship, defeating two higher seeded opponents. She finished the season 27-3 in singles play. In the final ITA rankings, she is listed as the No. 11 singles player in the nation.

A native of Plovdiv, Bulgaria, Chifchieva became Auburn's first ever All-American in 2007. In 2008 she was named SEC Women's Tennis Player of the Year and South Region Player to watch, also firsts for the program.

Haney and Koning advanced to the second round of the NCAA Doubles Championship. The pair finished the season posting a 17-3 doubles record and ranked as the No. 10 doubles team.